Report: Bohemians 0 - 0 Derry City

Title hopefuls Bohemians and Derry City played out a scoreless draw on Friday night at Dalymount Park. Visitors Derry had the better of the chances, but in the end neither side were able to break the deadlock. The result means that St Pat's have the opportunity to go four points clear at the top of the table if they can overcome Shamrock Rovers on Sunday evening. Bohemians had their moments but it was Derry who more often than not were trying to make things happen and willing to take risks and push men forward.

Glen Crowe spurned an early chance when he sent his volley from twenty five yards over Ger Doherty's crossbar. A few minutes later Derry created their first opening. Barry Molloy found space in midfield and went over the top looking for Kevin McHugh. McHugh, operating on the right, made strides into the box with Liam Burns in close attention. The two jostled and it looked like Burns had lost the battle but the referee was of the opinion that the Derry man had a hold of his shirt and signalled a free kick.

Derry were set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation but it was far from rigid. When out of possession it provided lots of cover for the defence but it easily converted to a flexible and fluid attacking set up when they were looking to get at the home sides defence. In the first half, Gareth McGlynn excelled at popping up outside the penalty area in advanced positions with enough time and space to potentially cause harm. On one such occasion he started a move that then saw the ball go wide left to Owen Morrison. Morrison sent a teasing cross into the box but McGlynns free header from no more than six yards was weak and Brian Murphy claimed it without any difficulty.

Morrison continued to impress on the wing - despite the presence of Bohs' right back Owen Heary. Just after the quarter hour mark he skipped past Heary and looked to get a shot away. Were it not for ex-Derry player Ken Oman, goalkeeper Murphy would have again been called upon. Oman saw the danger, eventually got across, and managed to get a last ditch block on the shot. A few minutes later the big centre back came close at the other end of the pitch when he rose highest and met a corner - luckily for Stephen Kenny's side he hadn't been able to direct it on target.

Bohs were really struggling to pick up in midfield and didn't seem able to get a hold on the game. On a number of occasions they had to rely on Derry's passing going astray in order to get possession for any amount of time at all. What Bohs did do well was attacking quickly whenever they got the ball. Powell broke away on the left wing but neither Glen Cronin or Crowe were able to direct the full back's cross goal-ward. The ball eventually came to Jason Byrne a couple of yards outside the box, but his shot was blocked and Derry looked to attack once again.

Just as the half was drawing to a close Derry full back Eddie McCallion needed to cover and clear when Crowe and Peter Hutton were fighting for the ball after it had been sent long into the box. Striker Byrne had another chance to try his luck from circa twenty yards but he failed to connect properly.

From the start of the second half onwards Bohs concentrated on getting amongst Derry in midfield and making life much harder for them. The home sides passing improved a notch. An early Byrne header over the bar after neat approach play and a Heary cross gave the subdued home fans a glimpse of what their side was capable of once they tried to play it around patiently - as opposed to hitting the front men with long direct balls.

Morrison was again Derry's most dangerous player in the second period and looked to get involved in almost everything. His free kick from just outside the box gave Stephen Gray a great chance to open the scoring just before the hour mark. Shortly after that he beat his man and cut inside before hitting a long range shot straight at Murphy. He was again in the thick of things when he sweetly caught the ball on the half volley from twenty five yards - that effort clipped the outside of the post after an ever so slight deflection. Then, just before Niall McGinn replaced him, he again beat his man and had another shot from distance.

Bohs were limited to a couple of half chances for all the second half. Last weeks hero Killian Brennan, rarely involved in the game, twice fed dangerous balls into the box from the left wing but Bohs had no one in the box willing to take a gamble and get in front of their marker. Right back Heary looked dangerous whenever he got forward. After running at and getting by two Derry players, he showed composure and vision in trying to slip the ball through to JP Kelly. The idea was great but the pass over ran and the chance was gone.

Crowe's finishing was again off when he volleyed wide from inside the box after Byrne had played him in with a little dink ball over the heads of centre-backs Hutton and Gray. After breaking quickly from a period of Derry pressure, Crowe exchanged passes with Kelly and was sent clear through on goal with only the keeper to concern him - but Crowe's touch was appalling and Doherty had the simple task of kicking to clear the danger.

Deep into added on time Brennan had the chance to be hero again, but this week his late free kick was comfortably saved. Bohs mediocre home form continues but they are still second from top and in a great position to launch a real assault on the title. Fenlon will be eyeing six points from their next two games - away to UCD and Cobh.

If Derry can recreate the home form they enjoyed during Kenny's last two seasons in charge then come the end of the season this point will be no doubt be looked upon positively. For all their attacking endeavour Derry have failed to score in their last three league games. The absence of Paddy McCourt may be a contributing factor, but if Derry are to be considered serious contenders for the title then they need to be able to win and score goals without having to rely on a player who has become somewhat injury prone.

Bohemians: Murphy; Owen Heary, Ken Oman, Liam Burns (Jason McGuinness 86), Conor Powell; John Paul Kelly (Chris Turner 81), Mark Rossiter, Glenn Cronin, Killian Brennan; Jason Byrne (Neale Fenn 72), Glen Crowe.
Subs not used: Chris Konopka, Stephen O'Donnell.

Derry City: Ger Doherty; Eddie McCallion, Peter Hutton, Steven Gray, Aaron Callaghan; Gareth McGlynn, Ruaidhri Higgins, Barry Molloy, Owen Morrison (Niall McGinn 81); Kevin McHugh (Conor Sammon, 88), Mark Farren.
Subs not used: Paul Simon Treacy, Mark McChrystal, Ciaran Martyn.

Referee: Declan Hanney.

Attendance: 2,775